Catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide by a zinc hydride compound, [Tptm]ZnH, and conversion to the methanol level.

The zinc hydride compound, [Tptm]ZnH, may achieve the reduction of CO2 by (RO)3SiH (R = Me, Et) to the methanol oxidation level, (MeO)xSi(OR)4-x, via the formate species, HCO2Si(OR)3. However, because insertion of CO2 into the Zn-H bond is more facile than insertion of HCO2Si(OR)3, conversion of HCO2Si(OR)3 to the methanol level only occurs to a significant extent in the absence of CO2.